for yielding. it's important to point out that the house bill never contained any of those extraneous provisions. when the bill came over here, our leadership, we agreed to all that was taken out so there was nothing about any other state other than those directly affected by sandy. >> reclaiming my time. the gentleman is absolutely right. had we been able to pass what we intended to be the house bill and pass it back to the senate and the senate then would have taken that up though they had left town we could have done this in the previous congress and the gentleman from new york has been a champion to make sure that's clearly understood. i want to be an equal champion that in fact whether it's louisiana or california when the next earthquake occurs or our friends and colleagues from the eastern seaboard, as far south as where we stand, we need to make sure, we owe them that, and i want to thank the gentleman from new york for working so hard to make sure that we do get to a clean bill and with that i thank the gentleman and yield back. >> time has expired.

gentleman from new york? >> i yield to ms. canner for unanimous consent request. >> i ask to place remarks in the record in support of hurricane sandy relief wherever it is needed in our nation. >> i yield one minute to the gentleman from new york on the judiciary committee. >> gentleman from new york is recognized one minute. >> thank you. i obviously support this bill today to replenish the hurricane insurance fund which would otherwise run dry for the entire country next week but it does not excuse the callous action of the house leadership the other night in taking the $60 billion of relief off the table. now we're told we'll get a vote on the 15th and i hope they're as good as their word although they haven't been in the past but even so it will take god knows how long for the senate because the bill they passed is dead, this being a new congress. that action the other night

delayed relief for the long suffering people, the business owners whose businesses are going under, the homeowners who are suffering from mold, all of this was delayed by at least three weeks, maybe longer on top of the fact that we had gone already nine weeks after katrina was 10 days, nine weeks of lack of aid, now another three or four or five, this is the most callous action i have ever seen. the leadership should be condemned for it. i hope they have the determination to make sure this comes to a vote on the 15, that it passes, and that the senate is induced to match it quickly. that would be the least that decency would demand. >> gentleman's time has expired. gentleman from new jersey. >> recognizing some on other side of the aisle can't take yes for an answer, i reserve the balance of my time. >> gentleman reserved. gentleman from new york? >> i yield one minute to the gentleman from new jersey. >> the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for one minute. >> as i sit here, i was thinking maybe there is a bias against the northern, eastern states of this country. this devastation can happen to any state and no one state has

the money to make sure those people that were injured in this storm can move forward and i will remind all those members that are not here supporting this bill that that could happen to your state. you know, as i sat here and supported alabama, i supported mississippi, i supported texas, i was hoping that by now the northeast part of this country would have -- congress would have acted. it's been 77 days. those people are hurting. people in my district still can't get back to their homes and here we are in the last congress we just didn't do anything about it. now we're moving forward and hopefully january 15 we can get the rest of the money so those people that are suffering from all these states hit by this storm can get their lives back

together again and i thank you, i yield back. >> gentleman yields back. does the gentleman from new jersey continue to reserve? >> i yield one minute for his floor debate, the gentleman from new york, sean patrick maloney. >> the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, my name is sean patrick maloney. i'm new here. i don't know all the rules of washington but it seems like the rule here is to put off till tomorrow what should be done today even when our fellow americans are suffering. a long time ago i honored from my mom and dad, jim and joan maloney, and father bill nolan, a much better rule, the golden rule, americans by all parties live by it, the people of new york, new jersey and hudson valley live by it. bart and diana tyler of kellogg's hardware store in catona live by it. they lent critical supplies in the hour of maximum need and

consoled them. they didn't make their neighbors wait 68 days for help. they didn't say they could do more later. they acted with speed and with caring. this new congress can start a new today. we can act with speed and caring. we don't need to wait. i urge my colleagues to bring this additional relief to the floor as soon as possible and support the bill today. i yield back my time. >> gentleman's time's expired. >> continue to reserve. how much time do i have remaining? >> 2.25 minutes remaining. >> i yield 30 seconds to the gentleman lady from texas. >> i thank the gentleman very much and i thank the proponent of this legislation. it is obviously needed.

i come from the gulf region. we lost thousands and thousands and thousands through hurricanes -- hurricane ike saw this congress give us their 3 billion. i stand here today to remind you that a police officer died, a 13-year-old died with debris falling on her and a mother saw two children drawn from her hand and drown in hurricane sandy. it is long overdue. i stand here as someone who has been a beneficiary, who size cried with those who have lost, demand this money be passed today but more importantly i demand we pass the total amount of money today. let's help the american people. let's help those impacted by

sandy and my fellow americans. >> time has expired. does the gentleman from new jersey wish to continue reserving? >> yes. >> gentleman from new york? >> reserve. >> gentleman reserves. does the gentleman from new york have additional speakers? >> i have one additional speaker. >> gentleman from new jersey? >> i have no additional speakers. >> gentleman from new jersey has the right to close. >> i give one minute to the honorable maxine waters. >> thank you very much. i am so proud of the members of this congress from both sides of the aisle who have been real advocates, who have been on television, who have been fighting, members on the opposite side of the aisle criticize their own leadership for the delay. ladies and gentlemen, i am from california. i have witnessed earthquake disaster. i have been involved with trying to help with katrina and making sure that the people who were the victims of katrina were compensated, were taken care of. this is unconscionable that

this has had to take so long. i watch congressman meek up in rockaway, i watched the people who cried, i watched the people who begged for help, who begged for assistance. this is so late in coming so i support this bill today. i am one of the co-authors of the flood insurance reauthorization bill along with ms. biggert who reauthorized flood insurance for another five years. let's put the money in it, let's do what's right, let's take care of the disaster. >> gentleman woman's time is expired. mr. meeks has 1.75 minutes remaining and the gentleman from new jersey has 2.25 minutes remaining. >> i yield myself the remaining time. >> gentleman's recognized. >> it's 70 days, unprecedented that this region has not been treated like the other regions when they were in need of help. it's 70 days. we're going this bill today and what we're receiving is a promissory note, a promissory note that on january 15 we'll be able to say to the people from new jersey, new york and connecticut that were victimized by this storm that their house of representatives

are going to be by their side so we have a promissory note. i'm concerned until the promissory note has been put into the bank and stamped that it has sufficient funds and in this case it's got to be put in the bank and stamped that we have the votes that are necessary for the people of this region. they've been suffering. they have suffered long enough. they need to hear from their government that their government is with them just as it has been with everybody else in this country. i, for one, wherever the disaster may be, want to say that we've got to support them. i say to this congress, let's make sure as we put forward this promissory note because we cannot go back home. i don't think a democrat or a republican can go back home after january 15 and say that the promissory check has

bounced of insufficient funds. we have to come back collectively and say to the people that are suffering that they in fact have been helped by their government by their people and i yield back the balance of my time. >> gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for 2.25 minutes. >> thank you, madam chair and thank all those who have come to the floor to address this situation. for those of us who live in the affected area, our heart goes out to the families, the moms, the dads, the little children, the senior citizen who is have lost everything -- homes that have been inundated with water so it's non-recognizable anymore, homes that have to be totally knocked down or homes that have to be totally refurbished, stripped down to their studs again and started from the foundation back up

again to build them, homes that have been washed ashore or washed out to sea and never seen again, homes destroyed, trees that have crashed through homes, electricity out for weeks. our heart goes out to the people who have suffered so much and for so long and who continue to suffer and i commend members on both sides of the aisle coming to the floor today to support this legislation. i thank also those people, the volunteers, who took it upon themselves without any government mandate or edict or pay or what have you to rescue these people and work for these people day in and day out, from the very beginning, the o.e.m. people, the management people, the fire department, the rescue squad and rank and file folks who came out and tried to help and continue to do so to run the food banks, groups like smart an purse to be on the front lines and support these people in their hour of need and i extend an invitation to every single member of congress who has come to the floor and said they, too, support these people,

to put on their work shoes and work boots and jackets and get out of this congress and get out of this city and to go into the affected area and not just give speeches and not just pass legislation of other people's money but to actually come to our state and to join us and to in the field and do the work necessary to get done so i extend that invitation to each and every one and look forward to hearing from each and every one of you and ask for your support of this legislation and extend an invitation to ms. waters to work furthermore on the legislation of flood insurance. this is a nonsustainable program. we're taking in 75 cents and paying out a buck in claims. that can't go on. we need to work together on this and i look forward to that and look for a yes vote on the legislation and i yield back. >> that was some of today's house debate on hurricane sandy's flood claims bill. the house went on to pass the measure 354-67. later in the day, the senate approved the $9.7 billion bill by unanimous consent. >> good afternoon, everybody. and let me say a few things here first. we're glad that the house and senate acted and provided another $9.7 billion to the national flood insurance program. without this program, we would have run out of money in flood insurance leaving over 100,000 sandy victims in the lurch so i'd like to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the senate and in the house for making this an easy and effortless passage. we hope and pray that the next

bill will be similar. we don't expect it to be the same. but we're worried so i want to say a few things here. first, it's good news that the house passed the bill and we have visited, senator gillebrand and i, people who are depending on flood insurance to rebuild. flood insurance pays $250,000 limit so for most of the homes hurt or destroyed it pays the bulk or completely for the damage. some of the destroyed homes are worth more than $250,000, so that's good. but the bad news is we had to go through this dog and pony show in the first place. last month the senate passed a good, strong bill to help all the victims of hurricane sandy. the house simply could have taken it up and passed it. that's what it should have done. in fact, they promised to vote on a similar version before the last congress ended. unfortunately, this changed at the last moment. we don't need to get into the whys right now but we don't want it to happen again. to be a bride left at the altar once is bad enough. to be left at the altar twice would be unconscionable and so we need the house to move forward and pass the full $60 billion. we also need them not to put language in the bill that would make it far more difficult for homeowners, small businesses, localities to get the aid and we will have to examine their language carefully to make sure it is not one step forward, two steps back. and let me just say this, the $9 billion is a good thing. there is no question about it. the $9 billion is a good but small first step. flood insurance relief is a small downpayment on the much larger amount of aid we need to get through the congress. the job has hardly begun and we must make sure that passing this bill is not the end or even the middle, but only a start. here's who's not helped in the

bill. hundreds of thousands of homeowners who don't have flood insurance, who either lost their homes or suffered major damage. they cannot sign contracts for repairs until the contractor or the bank that's making a construction loan knows that there's money to reimburse them. right now, they know nothing of the sort because the money isn't there. the cdbg account is dry. there is no money even with the passage of this first small issue, for small businesses that are ready to go under, small businesses that are hanging on their fingernails because they have been out of business for three, four months, and not only don't they have the wherewithal to repair their businesses, they haven't had any income because their businesses aren't functioning. >> the house will be in order. if the people will take their seats? >> mr. speaker, the unit -- the u.s. senate. [applause] [applause]

>> mr. speaker, members of congress, pursuant to the constitutional laws of the united states, senate, and house of representatives are meeting in joint session to count the points -- count the votes of the electorate of several states. after we have been able to ascertain that certificates have been had, it will be made by the several states.

they take their place at the clerk's desk. the tellers will dispense by reading formal readings of the certificates. after confirming the certificates are authentic, begin with each state, beginning with alabama.

>> mr. president, the certificate of the state of alabama seems to be authentic and it appears that mitt romney received nine votes for president and paul ryan received nine votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of alaska seems to be authentic. it appears that mitt romney received three votes for president and paul ryan received three votes for vice president.

>> mr. president, the certificate of arizona appears to be authentic. mitt romney received 11 votes for president and paul ryan received 11 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of arkansas seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that make romney received six votes for president and paul ryan received six votes for vice president. >> mr. president, their certificate of the state of california seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that barack obama received 55 votes for president and joe biden received 55 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of colorado seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that barack obama received nine votes for president and joe biden

received nine votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of connecticut seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that barack obama of the state of illinois received seven votes for president and joseph biden received seven votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of delaware seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that barack obama received three votes for president and joseph biden received three votes for vice

president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of the district of columbia seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that barack obama received three votes for president and joseph biden received three votes for vice president. >> mr. president, certificate of the state of florida seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that barack obama received 29 votes for president and joseph biden received 29 votes for vice president.

>> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of georgia seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that mitt romney received 16 votes for vice president and paul ryan received 16 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of hawaii seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that barack obama received four votes for president and joseph biden received four votes for vice president. >> mr. president, their certificate of the state of

idaho seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that mitt romney received four votes for president and paul ryan received four votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of illinois seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that barack obama received 20 votes for president and joseph biden received 20 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of indiana seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that mitt romney received 11 votes for president

and paul ryan received 11 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of iowa seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that barack obama received six votes for president and joseph biden received six votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of kansas seems regular and authentic. it appears that mitt romney received six votes for president and paul ryan received six votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the commonwealth of kentucky seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that mitt romney received 8 votes for president and paul ryan received 8 votes for vice president.

>> mr. president, the certificate of the state of louisiana seems to be regular and authentic. it appears that mitt romney received 8 votes for president and paul ryan received 8 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the state of maine appears to be real and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received four votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received four votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of electoral votes

for the state of maryland seems to be regular in form and authentic. it appears therefrom that barack obama of the state of illinois received 10 votes for president and joe biden received 10 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote for the commonwealth of massachusetts seems to be regular in form and authentic. it appears therefrom that barack obama received 11 votes for president and joseph biden received 11 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of electoral votes of the state of michigan seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of the state of illinois received 16 votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received 16 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of minnesota seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of the state of

illinois received 10 votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received 10 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of electoral vote of the state of mississippi seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of the commonwealth of massachusetts received six votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received six votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of missouri seems to be regular in for an authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of massachusetts received 10 votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received 10 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of montana seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of massachusetts received three votes for

president and paul ryan of wisconsin received three votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of nebraska seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom at mitt romney of massachusetts received five votes for president and paul ryan of the state of wisconsin received five votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of nevada seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received six votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received six votes for vice-president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of new hampshire seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received four votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received four votes for vice president.

>> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of new jersey seems to be regular in farm and authentic, and it appears there from the barack obama of illinois received 14 votes for president and joseph biden received 14 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of new mexico seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received five votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received five votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral

vote of the great state of new york seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received 29 votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received 29 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of north carolina seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of massachusetts received 15 votes for president and a paul ryan of wisconsin received 15 votes per byte -- for vice-president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of north dakota seems to be regular and the form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of massachusetts received three votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received three votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of ohio seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received 18 votes for president and joseph biden of delaware

received 18 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of oklahoma seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of the commonwealth of massachusetts received seven votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received seven votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of oregon seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received seven votes for president and joseph biden of the state of delaware received seven votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the commonwealth of pennsylvania seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of the state of illinois received 20 votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received 20 votes for vice-

president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of rhode island seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received four votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received four votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of south carolina seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of massachusetts received nine votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received nine votes for vice president. >> mr. president, thr certificate of the electoral vote of the state of south dakota seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of massachusetts received three votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received three votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the

certificate of the electoral vote of the great state of tennessee seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of the commonwealth of massachusetts received 11 votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received 11 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of texas seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of massachusetts received a 38 votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received 38 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of utah seems to be regular in form and order, and it appears that mitt romney of massachusetts received six votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received six votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of vermont

seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received three votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received three votes for vice president. mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the commonwealth of virginia seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears there from that barack obama of the state of illinois received 13 votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received 13 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of washington seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received 12 votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received 12 votes for vice

president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of west virginia seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that mitt romney of massachusetts received five votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received five votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of wisconsin seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that barack obama of illinois received 10 votes for president and joseph biden of delaware received 10 votes for vice president. >> mr. president, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of wyoming seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears that

mitt romney of massachusetts received three votes for president and paul ryan of wisconsin received three votes for vice president. >> members of congress, the certificates having been read, we will deliver the results to the president of the senate. >> charles schumer of new york, lamar alexander of tennessee, tellers on the part of the senate, candidates miller of michigan and brady of pennsylvania, tellers on the part of the house of representatives, report the following as the result of the ascertained and counting of the electoral vote for president and vice president of united states for the term beginning on the 20th of january, 2013. >> the state of the vote for president of the united states is as follows -- the whole number of electors appointed is 538, of which a majority is 270. barack obama of the state of

illinois has received for president of the united states 332 votes. mitt romney of the state of massachusetts has received 206 votes. the state of the vote for vice president of united states is delivered to the president of the senate -- the whole number of electors appointed to vote for the vice president of the united states is 538, and a majority of which is 270. joseph biden of the state of delaware has received for vice- president of the united states 332 votes. paul ryan of the state of wisconsin has received 206 votes. this announcement of the state

of the vote by the president of the senate shall redeem a sufficient declaration of the person selected president and vice-president of the united states, each for the term beginning on the 20th day of january, 2013, and shall be entered together with a list of votes in the journal of the senate and of the house of representatives. the joint session having been concluded pursuant to the senate joint resolution, the chair declares the joint session dissolved. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012]

>> tomorrow, changes to the u.s. tax code. with donald williamson. thomas schatz cox about legislation review. "washington journal" live tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> there is low hanging fruit that is extremely appealing to people across all parties. it sounded to me like you were

saying -- how can people on the right with a full spectrum, frankly it is totally whacked. on both sides i think we need to appeal to people on a rational and reasonable set of points, showing a series of financial bait and switch business owners stimuluses in the total joke. the stimulus package for small businesses never made it. that is a host of examples where i do not think it is that difficult to talk to people, educate people, and remind them that the two-party dynamic is within the party, the way the decisions are made and leaders are promoted. >> you look like you were about to jump in. >> my starting point is where people are. it may be that labor is a spent

force and that civil-rights organizations are spent forces and the community-based organizations are narrow minded and too anxious to just get a foundation grant for government low-income tax credit to build five units of housing and it will not change the system, but that is where people are. for the last four years i have been working with the building insurance, the widest part of the labor movement. i have been working with them to try and get a young black and latino kids of color into the building trade so that they can become the green work force of the future. the building trade, conservative as they are, operates 1200 job training centers in the construction trade and is the second-largest mechanism outside the navy. guess what? they are actually in a coalition

with youth bills, with many other organizations that train high-school dropouts, inner-city kids, working together for the last four years to say -- how do we change and improve? the national leadership of the building trade has gone across 350 cities in the u.s. to convince their locals that they need to change and need to have a new vision. that is encouraging. i think we have to do that kind of work reaching across. not writing off people. if anyone is writing anyone else off it is white construction workers keeping people of color out of the trade, people like me would be justified in writing those people off. i am not writing them off, in order to change america, i need them. i think we have to proceed like

that. we cannot proceed on someone's theory too excited folks on the street. i have been there in protest and demonstration. personally, i do not like riots. i have seen what comes after. if you have no plan and no capacity to run a city, you win a small victory for a live with of time and then you lose in the end because the people fighting you have much more staying power and capacity and you have not done the deed work with people high in your group to actually continue this fight. i think that this is a real fight. not one that i want to lose. i think that the stakes and dangers are bigger than they ever were. >> i just got back from alabama, where 34% of african-american

men are disenfranchised because of criminal records. there is one confederate memorial after another, the sums of confederacy have put this gargantuan confederate flag outside the city. it reminded me of periods of economic dislocation where people retreated into mythic narratives about where they come from and who they are so that the war between the states is no longer about slavery, it is about states' rights. we have huge sections of this country, like that native element, like the christian right in with a narrative is, be it creationism or the fact that muslims are a satanic religion, you cannot rationally argue with people who think that the earth was created 6000 years ago and adam and eve road on the backs of dinosaurs.

the only thing they you can do is integrate them back into the economy. when you fall to that level of desperation, and this is exactly what tore apart yugoslavia a year ago, we had several hundred white guys dressed in confederate in remorse, marching through montgomery. -- uniforms, marching through montgomery. you cannot carry out a dialogue. that is what frightens me. movements of celebrate the language of violence, demonize the marginal and week, whether feminists, african-americans, liberals -- i see that breakdown occurring because of the economic disintegration. having lived through it in places like yugoslavia, rational

arguments do not work. her >> tomorrow night and watched this entire event with supporters of the occupied movement. -- tomorrow night you can watch this entire event but supporters of the occupied movement. -- occupy movement. 8:00 eastern time here on c- span. >> the big discussion that i remember was, what is richard nixon going to do? >> i remember being scared to death. this is like a time bomb. if this gets in the press and anderson gets it going, it is a disaster for all of us. >> he came to me and said, the president's council has brought me a list of 50 names of people. he wants a full field investigation of them. that is a very unpleasant thing to have happen to you.

>> it was shortly after the farewell speech. the chief of staff called me. he said, we forgot one thing. we forgot a resignation letter. i said, that is very interesting. he said, you need to write it. >> i thought the best way was not for me as a trained historian, but for the players living from that era to tell the story themselves. i thought the best way to do this was to start in video oral history that involve the nixon players and players in the watergate drama. on the left and right. to use portions of that story in the museum to let visitors understand the complexity of this constitutional drama. >> former head of the nixon

presidential library and museum timothy naftali tonight at 8:00 on c-span's q&a. >> in a rare address to the nation, the syrian president bashar al-assad. he proposed a new constitution that he said would include new laws for the party's and local administration. he think russia and china for their support of syria and stressed that his country would defend themselves from outside forces. the last time he addressed the nation was in june 2012. coverage comes to us courtesy of al-ajzeera english. -- al- jazeera english. >> this is the first time since november that the president has given a public address in his

own country. official figures in united nations said as many as 60,000 people have lost their lives during the course of the 21 month conflict. [chanting] our translator is standing by [applause] -- by. [applause] president bashar al-assad, live from the syrian capital. >> ladies and gentlemen, today i look at your faces and the faces of the people of my country with

sadness and pain. i look at the eyes of the children of syria. i'd look at the hands of the elderly today, pain and suffering is spread all over syria. safety and security are absent in these streets. many women lost their children, many children became orphans. siblings have been divided.

this pain is spread over the country. from the pain, hope is born. from difficulty, solutions come. a dark cloud would hide the sun, but it would provide brain and cleanliness that would provide good news for the country -- copper rain and -- rain and cleanliness that would provide goodness for the cfountry.

-- country. syra will not come out of its impulse unless it changes this into a solution that will bring the country out of its impulse but it has never witnessed in the history of this region. this is the only way we can remedy all the injuries and deep wounds that we have in syria and the only way to keep syria more viable and bring it back socially, morally, and economically. everyone is responsible, however simple in his view. the country is ours. we defend it collectively.

the situation is defense, and the preservation of people's property is defense. to preserve the country as a whole, every person knows exactly what is going on, and the-as of others will not the sort of the problem -- negative- ness of others will nto sort ot sort out the problem. it will not help the country to come out of its difficulty. many have fell into the trap that the conflict is between holding the power and authority, and therefore they stayed back and kept silent. therefore it is our duty, so

that people can use the compass in the right direction. the difference between a man who fights for his bread and warmth and the safety that everyone wanted to have. they killed the people in order to kill the light in our country. they killed the intellect in order to inflict ignorance on this. deprived children from the school in order to bring the country backward.

the affected electricity so that they make the elderly and children suffer the coldness of winter. it is also their brutality, stealing the wheat and sources of food in order to make people hungry. is it a conflict against the authority to take the power of the country? is it to kill the people and fragments syria? these are the enemies of the people. the enemies of the people are the enemies of god. the enemies of god will be in hell on the day of judgment. they came with their false

claims, and they were supported by media and money. when they failed, they moved a second stage. they claimed peaceful means and they showed that they were armed and resorted to arms. they began to affect countries. towns attacked the brutally. the more they attacked, the more the people stood fastly to show the falsehood. eventually they resulted to terrorism, to terrorize people. the college revolution. it has nothing to do with any revolutions -- they call it revolution. it has nothing to do with revolutions.

who is providing thinking and thoughts for this revolution? revolutions are based on scientific notions. they are to push countries for work, not bring them backward -- forward, not bring them backward. it is a revolution of people who live in the country, not people who comment imported from outside. -- come in, imported from outside. these are a bunch of criminals. but those who use religion in order to kill collectively and supporting gangsters, every time the army stan's hand in hand with the people, -- stands hand

in hand with the people, they come closer to their demise. however, they began to kill in the front lines. they used blood shed. the ideology of religious difference is new to us, and is something strange to us. we have terrorists that have the ideology of al-qaeda, describe themselves as jihadists, they plead terrorist organizations in the ground. -- lead terrorist organizations in the ground. the use of back lines in order to lead thieving and looting to help those religious groups who

know nothing but the language of killing and bloodshed. we, brothers, fight against these people. many of them are not syrians. they came for sinister ideologies and falls ideologies that they call jihad, which is far from jihad and islam. the people we are facing are those ideologues of al qaeda. three decades ago, we know how they were sponsored by the west and by arab money. after the demise of the soviet union, they went from afghanistan. they went into the west.

they tried to get rid of them in afghanistan and in iraq. because this terrorism has infiltrated through western societies themselves, this event has come to the arab world, especially in syria, because now the opportunity is available for them so that the number of terrorists can be increased and syria -- in syria, and therefore they can get rid of two adversaries. one is the terrorist. the second is syria. it causes concern to the west. another organization issued a report a month ago to retreat from terrorist activities.

this happened in east asia. they come now to syria, and some of them come from western countries. wherever they come from, it is dangerous. it is not impossible to defeat them when we have the courage and will to deal with them. however, the infiltration is very dangerous. this is what we need if they come and infiltrate our society. they will mutate our society regardless of what difficulties and differences politically syria has an otherwise would fall into the trap handed down to our children. ideology that syria, that we

know -- this would also destroy our geographical being. they will destroy any society they infiltrate. it is a huge responsibility. we need to be united to stand against. however, the crisis has got other dimensions. not domestically alone. anyone who wanted to see in the region, there are those who are trying to weaken or demise syria, by money, arms, and others by support and training. countries better enemiethat ourt have built themselves on occupation.

others that are trying to find a place in history that they never had. they wrote the history with the blood of arab people, and in particular syria. the syrian people are stronger than them, and will teach them a lesson. [applause] internationally, it is no secret that syria was and is still a suburb place, that does not accept trusteeship from anybody -- sovereign place, that does not accept trusteeship from anybody. this is what alarmed the west and still does.

they used internal events in order to take syria out of the political equation, so that they get rid of this phobia that they have. our position is the same as others. international society is not only limited to the west, however, there are others like russia and china who refuse interference in the sovereignty of other countries. this is based on their principles of helping other people to self-determination. to think alle t these countries. -- thank all these countries. china, russia, and iran. we are very grateful to them. [applause]

in the light of all this long introduction, we cannot speak about solutions, except if we take into consideration all these factors internally, regionally, and internationally. any process will not change the solutions. if the dispute was between a position and loyals, if it is to do with loyalty and opposition, this would be on the basis of

construct the country, not destroy it. it is about progression, not going backward. the difference between opposition and loyalty is internal, but when it becomes from inside being directed and used by outsiders, it turns it into an conflict. this would be occupation, political occupation from outside into the country. that would turn the country into defending again from outside influence. outside, we do not mean where these people live. the place where they put their

heart, mind, loyalty. regardless where they reside. some people live abroad, but they defend their country. it is not their opposition or being oil or fighting. we are in a situation -- loyal or fighting. we are any situation. we're fighting against an external, a vicious war which is so dangerous. it is much more dangerous and harmful than any traditional war. we are used in order to implement their plots. iny're trying to use us order to destroy our

generations, unfortunately, by the help of some of us. therefore, we have to defend our country. this is not going to change anything in the war. however, it would strengthen and order to face this challenge. some think that reform would sort out the problem. it is only a contributory factor. reform is important to help hopes, because hopes without reforms would not help. if syria is one to resort to security, they do not understand. reform with one hand, destroy terrorism with the other hand. therefore, when someone is

subjected to attack and defended himself, the person who defended himself or used security means -- when people defend the country and the country defend itself, they say they chose the security option. defending the country is -- duty is legal, and it is a legitimate option. if we decided to defend ourselves and use the security option, it does not mean we're defendant ourselves. sorry, i repeat. it does not mean we do not defend ourselves. if we took the political option, that means we need a

partner that is able to enter into dialogue on the national side. if we did not in the past take any partner, and that was our choice. if some wanted to get married and could not find the right partner, or did not find any person that would accept him, that does not mean that this person does not want to get married. however, it means that he could not find the right partner. a book about security solution, but no one in the country said that we only opted for the security option. we did not refuse any political solutions. we adopted this from day one,

through dialogue. we have encouraged anyone with political projects, but with whom can we debate with extremists who do not understand except the bill language of terrorism and bloodshed? -- language of terrorism and bloodshed? outsiders, do we listen to them when they know that that dialogue is going to frustrate, especially people from the region that know that by syria coming out from its impulse, it would affect adversely, and use their finance in order to sponsor terrorism.

that shows their implications. implication in bloodshed. or use the foreign powers. in the debate with those who are genuine people, who are not talking to us with britain in the script from outside. -- pre-written in the script from outside. [applause] but they use the policy of division and some additions -- editions. -- seditions.

we are sovereign. we talked our language. we have been brought up in dignity. why would listen to them and listen to the debates -- we listen to them and listen to their debates? accordingly, those who talk about only political solution would ignore totally these factors. either they are ignorant of the actual facts, or they are using the language that helps criminals endorse and those who are behind them to sell their people. dealing with us in this manner, we do not accept that. we have to deal with everything.

political, terrorism, and an important factor, which is the social solution. the situation has become better because of the social solution, because people who are patriotic and who came with initiatives and have made negotiations and mediated between farmers and locals, and it has given good results on the ground. these people do not have any program other than being patriotic. if we look at the solution comprehensively and we look at the access politically, socially, and security wise, we still have to go back to our special basis. the social roots, and i like to give to those people who have made -- i would like to give to

those people who have made achievements -- and i met him directly. others i have heard of. -- others i have met directly. others i have heard of. i would like to thank them very much on their initiatives. [applause] from what i said, that there is nobody to speak to, that is not true. we are always respecting our hand for dialogue. we would have a dollar with anyone who differs with us politically and anyone who has any stance, as long as the stance is based on principles and patriotism. we will speak with anyone who does not sell this country to foreigners so that we get the

arab-syrian blood back to the people. and those who were in interest of syrian independence and interest based on our principles that looks after the stability of syria and the united nations, which respects the sovereignty of people and their countries, and not interferes in their internal affairs and believe in the dialogue between syrian people, and to get stability back to syria, the political solutions will be as follows. the first stage, the relevant countries to stop arming and financing people who are armed

to conduct these terrorist organizations, terrorist actions inside the country, so that they can live in their places of residence safely. also, military actions from armed forces to reserve their right to defend any private or public property. secondly, we find a mechanism in order to find a solution and also the borders. thirdly, the government will begin to have extensive contacts with all this spectrum of society, syrian society, in order to have a whole dialogue, the congress to have a dialogue with syrian people to sort the problem.

second stage. firstly, the government would like to have a conference to have dialogue, a comprehensive dialogue in order to have a charter to protect the integrity of the country and condemn terrorism and preserve the integrity of the country. the country will come in order to specify the criteria for the second stage. in national charter to preserve the unity -- a national charter to preserve the unity of the country and condemn terrorism. this charter is what is going to preserve syria in the future and its politics, economics.

secondly, we will have a referendum. thirdly, we have an expanded government which carries out the national charter. fourthly, we put to the people, and the conference of dialogue to agree a dialogue for elections. any the to do with constitution and law -- anything to do with constitution and the law, we can say if in the conference dialogue the government can carry out whatever is agreed on. the third stage. firstly, a new government to be set up in accordance with the

constitution. and also, we have a general congress to have reconciliation and give amnesty to pockmark everyone to everyone in prison. thirdly, to reestablish the infrastructure and compensate people who have suffered damages. also, talking about amnesty, the country can forfeit its rights. however, we cannot give amnesty on behalf of people because it is the civil right to. amnesty would be general, and only by this amnesty we can get into national the consolation -- reconsolation, when everyone forgives everyone else.

these are the main features of the political solution, as we see it. these are only just the headlines that need details, which the government will begin to put details and expand on these points and put this vision in the form of an initiative. this would be followed up in accordance with the way it is laid down. we need to put every topic in its context. we live in times of falsehood and manipulation. this is something we do not do. it is done by them. we need to put these things in the right context and put the right definitions. some, when they see this vision, they think there is a

return backwards from the security point of view. i would like to reassure everybody, as far as fighting terrorism, we will not stop fighting terrorism as long as we have even one single terrorist and syriin syria. this does not been we grow and mean we're going to lessen the bar fight on terrorism. terrorism.ght on [applause] [chanting]

secondly, this vision, you could call it initiative vision. these ideas are aimed at everyone who wanted dialogue and everyone who wanted a solution. it is not for those who do not want or do not try. we try from today, we may find, for example, a lot of rejection from people who want to ask, why did you reject something that is not in that you in the first place -- do you reject something that is not aimed at you in the first place? [applause]

thirdly, any initiative that is proposed by anybody person or of the state, it have to be based on the syrian vision, not to replace what we as syrians see as a solution. any initiative has to be an initiative to assist what the syrians are going to do, not replace it. this is an initiative from the government. any initiative from outside it has to be coming in order to help and assist, not replace. we need not waste time on any replacements. if we ask, how can outside initiatives help us, there are

two avenues. one, politically. two, counter-terrorism. we are capable of being without politics. anyone who wanted to effectively theypractically helpleshelp us, can concentrate on stopping into syria.e coming intarmed pg these are the parameters they can work within the spiri. a country that is thousands of years old cannot be dictated to politically. [applause] fourth point, that we support any assisting initiatives coming from outside.

we cannot accept any interpretation or construction of it unless it is to help syria, and therefore we can talk about the syrian initiative, which is the transitional period. when we talk about transitional period, we would want to move from where to where? do we move from a free country to an occupied country, from a situation of where there is a state to a situation of chaos? it has to be a national decision. the other situation, if there is

no crisis, the situation of transition is always from one place into something better. any situation to do with any transitional process, what we're doing now -- i am sorry, i can say, these ideas to represent this moment of the transitional period. fifthly, an initiative we except would be because it is based on the assumption of sovereignty. and the initiative concentrate on this, and therefore, anything agreed inside or outside syria has to be decided by the people. even the national charter that can be done by the dialogue

conference, it has to be done by people, referendum, and anything comes from outside or inside an idea, it has to be gone through referendum by the people. not the government, not the president, and no one else. obviously we show a kind of guarantee that these steps do represent people's conciliation and national reconciliation. this is simple talk, and is very clear. anyone who comes to syria and leaves syria should know that. syria accepts assistance, but does not accept oppression. anything you heard in the past or you hear from ideas,

concepts, delclarations from the media, officials, if there are things to do, to talk about, then be so just by soap bubbles. [applause] any interpretation of any topic that is outside syrian sovereignty is just no more than dreams. they can live in tehshese dreams, but not to make us live in this. we can only live in reality. anything would have to come from the syrian reality and interest people.f the syrian

[applause] [chanting] ear sisters, dear brothers , the country is above everybody. syria is over and above everybody. politically, it will be strengthened. we will defend its territory. the syrians are forgiven, but they will not give up their dignity. here are many people that came to fight against terrorism. some provided vital information that helped in order to frustrate planned terrorist

actions against the people. those were fought against terrorists by defending their areas or even to demonstrate against the murderous, armed people, and those who died against this and those who fight side-by-side with armed forces in order to fight, to defend the different areas and towns, and the infrastructure. i would like to give one example in north syria. the brave men of this town, ofch is in th on the border turkey, they stood for a number of days, defending against terrorist attacks. they managed to defend and defeat these terrorists that were coming from turkey.

i pay tribute to them. [applause] some of them tried and were able to convince and forgive other people to national reconciliation -- through national reconciliation, which has broken the road for these terrorists in order to cause divisions. there were able to bring able to bringe harmony. if they are not outside us, we are not outside them. the country is not only belonging to those who live in it, but also those who defended it. those who defend it, and those who need it.

those who have stood for the country when the country needed them, regardless of where they were. many people, regardless of what they did and despite the differences, they stood to give unreservedly for the country. others have defended the country and to stop the deceit that was attacking. they stopped the brotherhood, as was defined by the west, and they came with vicious hatred and ideology of division. it was only a spring for those who have plotted it and try to spread it. the blood of these martyrs is the epic that will defend this

country and help defend our integrity and unity together. it will cleanse our country from the trail and deceit. -- betrayal and deceit. countrykeep itour and its humanity. this is a strong thing. when the country is victorious, it does not forget those who have exerted efforts for it. i salute those who deserve the best salute, which is the army. the syrian arab army. [applause] [chanting]

i salute our officers. i salute our brave soldiers. [chanting] i salute the soldiers, warrant officers, and officers who have exerted their effort and have paid their blood for the country. i salute the armed forces who fought in the most vicious wars in order to preserve the safety and security. the armed forces that have stood fastly, and wrought an epic to keep the country and preserve the people with their

honor and safety. every soldier who fought to defend the country, a victory to them and victory to all those who fought and died for the country. i salute every citizen who stood by the armed forces. ever won by his means, the names will be written -- everyone by his means, the names will be written with light and fire. they defended their countries and peoples. [applause]

dear brothers and sisters, i know as you all know what the country is going through is painful. i feel like most of the people onesabout losing loved and the martyrdoms. the fire of their hatred afflicted and affected all of us. i am included. i am one of the people. i will always be like this. i will go one day, but the country stays. [applause] the mothers who lost their children, their tears will be --

mercy for their children, and hell for those who have stolen the smile of their children. we will have -- syria will be stronger than it was. we will not give up our rights. we will defend syria internally. those who think we will forget palestine, we will continue as we always did. we will support resistance as ideology. it is not about giving up. we will stand by the palestinian people for their just cause that

lasted for decades. all the sacrifices paid by the syrian people, this is a country, -- the country, and people will not be in any position other than by the side of the palestiniians. syrians will help the second homeland, and we have our duty towards them. the same duty we would have towards any syrian. our salute to every palestinian who stood by the syrians and by syria, and those who stood by us

in the difficult situation. [applause] dear sisters and brothers, despite all the plots against syria and whatever the close ones before the strangers did for us will not change as, because what syria has is very profound, well established. syria runs in our veins. it tells the whole universe that we are steadfastly standing against this. persevering and challenging, it is something that syria has

inherited. we will go with syria and take syria to a stronger, and we will go forward. we will not be intimidated by bullets or intimidation. we have the right. god is always with the right. and may god be with you. [applause] [chanting] >> our coverage will continue. president assad being greeted by his supporters at the opera house in damascus. they have been chanting, with our souls and blood, we will defend you, assad.

>> coming up, debbie stabenow. followed by discussion of hollywood and public policy. later, q&a with the former head of the nixon presidential library and museum. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> the big discussion i remember was, what is richard nixon going to do? >> i remember being home at night and being scared to death. this thing gets out and it's in the press, and anderson gets it going, it is a disaster for all of us. >> he can to me and said, the president's council has brought me a list of 50 names and wants a full field investigation. that is a very unpleasant thing to happen to you. >> the chief of staff called me. he said, david, we forgot one

thing. he said, we forgot a resignation letter. i said, i would be glad to read it. he said, you need to write it. >> i thought the best way was not for me as a trained historian, but for the players, a key people from that era to tell the story themselves. i thought the best way to do this was to start a video oral history program that involved in nixon players, also players in the watergate drama on the left and right. to have them tell the story, and then to use portions of that story in the museum to let visitors understand the complexity of this constitutional drama. >> former head of the nixon presidential library and museum details of the world history project tonight o'clock on c- span q&a. -- oral history project,

tonight at 8:00 on c-span. >> they remain very far apart. the industry is opposed to any cybersecurity standards. >> another big issue is going to be implementing the option to create more spectrums. some of the hot-button issues on that are unlicensed spectrum, wi-fi, other amazing devices. the tech sector is